Inking attachment for printing machines



Sept. 11, 1928.

L. H. MORSE mum ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING uqn f ufis Filed Nov- 5,1926 B'Sixe'ds-Sheet 1 se c 11, 1928. 1,683,840

. L. H. MORSE INK ING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Roma, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 \N ww fQa/J K r L.H. MORSE IIKING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING MACHINES ,1926 .5 Sheets-Sheet a h 52 3 T 1 I m I 02 N v Q a m? 4 T"" T 0 [1H IIIIIIIITIIllIllllllIIIl 11H llHllll 1 Sept. 11, 1928. 1,683,840

. L. H. MORSE INKING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Nov- 5, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

v 1,683,840 PATENT OFFICE Lawnnncn 11. Mom, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, VASSIGNORITQTHE ERICAN MULTI- enarn eomrimy, or CLEVELAND, 01110, A CORPORATION or 01110.

'INKING ATTAGHM'ENTFOR PRINTING MACHINES.

Application filed November 5, 1926' Serial No. 146,338.

This invention relates to an inking attachment adapted to deliver ink directly to a plate or form on a rotary printing machine. The object of the invention is to provide an inking device which will deliver a sufiicient quantity of ink very evenly distributed and which shall be readily adjust able for various condtions of use. Experience has demonstrated that my inking. attachment delivers the ink so completely and smoothly that by means of it good half tone work can be done on a small ofiice printing machine, such as the multigraph. My invention is hereinafter more fully described in connection with the drawings, and the particular features contributing'to the desired result explained in connection there with. y y

In the drawings'Fig. 1 .is an'end elevation of my inking attachment mounted on aniultigraph; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same in a' plane parallel with Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the niultigraph and a vertical section through a portion of the inking attachment in a'lplane'indicated by the line on Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is a ver-' tical sectionthrough the inking attachment,

the section being taken on an ofiset plane i indicated by the line 4-4 on Big. 1; Fig. 5 is a vertical section along the axis of the ductor roll; Fig. 6 is a vertical section along the axis of the fountain 'r0ll,'tlie planes of these views being indicated by correspondingly numbered lines on Fig. 1 Fig. 7 is an elevation, on a larger scale,of the diictor rolllatch in a plane parallel with F ig. 1;

. Fig. 8 is a detail illustrating the adjusting device at the end of a form roll, the meclia nism being the. same for each of the three on the line -10 on Fig. 6.

form rolls Sl'IOWIl; Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of this adpistment, as indicated by the line 99 on Fig. 8; FigIlO is a detail" illustrating one of the clutchesemployed on the fountain roll, being a vertical section Figs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a nultigraph oflice printing machine comprising a rotary drum 10 carrying a suitable printing surface indicatedconventionally at 11. This; drum has at one end an annular gear 12 which meshes .with a gearon roller platen 13. Suitable paper feed rolls 15 and usually employed in front of the platen and an ejector roll 16 at therear. This whole construction ismoun ted between suitable end frame plates 17 and 18 held together by abase portion 19. i

My inking attachment is designed to be carried at the rear of the upper portion of the multigraph, being mounted directly on the multigraph end. plates 17 and 18. To this end the frame of the inking. attachment comprises side plates, 20 and 21 braced by suitable cross rods and a cross web2 5, and

adapted to be secured to the niultigraph plates 17 and 18. Each of the'form rolls of the inking attachment, as hereinafter described, has a. gear ineshing with the 12 of the multigrapli" drum. Referring now more particularly to my Fig. 2, an inking fountain is provided in the fornr of a fountain roll, which is journalled 01in fixed axis between" the end platesQQ and 21, and flexible scraper plate noniounte'd (by means of screws 27) on the cross web 25 and having its free edge adustably pressed against the roll by a row' of set screws 28. V

Directly in frontof the fountain roll is the shiftaible ductor roll 40 and in front of itis'a traiisferroll on anormally sta tioiiary axis. This transfer roll'coacts with another transfciroll 60, also on normally stationary axis, thetransfer roll c oacting witli'tivo longitudinally shiftal'ile distributor rolls and 71. The distributor roll 71 coacts also. with a transfer roll 61 on a nornially stationary aiiis, and the latter roll with a longitudinally"shiftabl'e distrilnito'r roll 72. The distributor rolls 70, 71 and 72 contact respectively with the form rolls- 80,

81 and 82, which rolls lie against the form.

sothat the latter may beureadily acl iu t d while preserving the'n'iesh of the gears with the drum gear.

The genres is rigid on aishort shaft '90 Fig. 4, Which'on its projecting portion car ries a worm 91. This worm meshes with a worm wheel 92, Fig. 1, on a horizontal shaft 93 mounted in bearings secured to the side of the frame plate 21. On the far end of this shaft 93 is a bevel pinion95 which is shown as meshing-with a'bevel" gear 96 on a shaft 97 journalled in the plates 20 and 21. On this shaft 97 is a spur gear '98 meshing with an idler 99 which meshes with a gear 94 on the shaft of the fountain roll- 30.

It wilLbe seen from the above description that the three form rolls and the fountain roll are positively rotated by the rotation of the drum. The other rolls of the inking attachment receive their rotations by contact with some of these rolls or with each other.

Toshift the distributor rolls longitudinal- .ly, I mount their shafts slid ably at one end and at the other end in a bearing block which has trunnions pivoted in a swinging arm. Thus the 1 01172 is journalled in the block 102 which has trunnions 103 in the arm 104, pivotediat 105. Similarly the shaft of the roll 71 has a'bearing block 101, the trunnions of which are mounted in the arm 106. The shaft of the roll 70 has a bearing block journalled in a downwardly extending arm 107. The two arms 106 and 107 are preferably portions of the same lever rigidly mounted on a rock shaft 110. On this shaft is a rock arm 111 (Fig. 4) to which is connected an eccentric strap, 112 extending around an eccentric 115 on the shaft 3 93. Likewise the arm 104 which carries the distributor roll 7 2 has-a bell. crank arm 117 to which is connected an eccentric strap 118 from an eccentric 119 on the end portion 0 the shaft 93. j

It results from the described mechanism thatwhen the multigraph is in motion, the shaft 93 is slowly revolved by its worm drive and actsto rock-the arms 10 1, 106 and 107, and thereby axially shift thecorresponding distributor rolls, the rolls70 and 71 moving in opposite directions.

To move the ductor rollback and forth between the fountain roll and the transfer roll 50, I mountthis ductor roll in the upper end of a pair of arms 120 and 121 (Figs. 2 and 5) which aremounted on a rock shaft 122, journalled in the frame plates of the inking attachment. Rigidly held (though adjustable) on this rock shaft is an arm 125 which carriesa roller 12G coacting w1th an adjustable cam (hereinafter specifically described) on the rotatingshaft 97. This cam has periodic engagement with the roller 126, it and thus operates to rock the ductor roll back and forth between the fountain roll and the transfer roll. The roller is pressed toward" the cam by the spring 127, anchored'at oneendto a stationary support 128 and at the other end to a downward extension 129 ofthe farm 125.

The adjustablecam 130 above referred to is shown inFigs. 2 and 6. v,It comprises a multidobed member 131 pinned to the shaft and a similar member 132 loose on the shaft and adjustably clamped-to itby a 'set screw 134. By loosening this screw, the member 132 may he swung axially, thus increasing or y on which the ductor roll is rigidly mounted."

The hooks may have tail portions 14 1 hearing against the shaft 122 and limiting the-movement in that direction. They are preferably made of spring metal and to free the ductor roll they are simply swungback wardly with sullicient force to springthem off of the ductor roll shaft.

To enable proper adjustment of the ductor roll between the fountain roll and transfer roll, I make the arm 125 which carries the cam roller 126 adjustable on the rock shaft 122. This is conveniently effected by maleing this arm loose on the rock shaft and mi justably securing it to a plate (Fig. 5) mounted on the rockshaft 122and the rod 141 and thus rigid with reference to the two arms 120 and 121. I have shown a clam ing screw 14.6 passing through a slot in the f plate 145 and threaded into the arm 125.

As heretofore mentioned, each form roll is mounted on an adjustable axis so that it may be properly presented to the printing surface. Theconstruction is substantially the same at each form roll and therefore it is believed to be sufficiently illustrated by Figs. and L As shown in Fig. 4,111;

form roll 80 is loose on the shaft which at one end has an eccentric extension 151 journalled axially in the shaft 90, which carrie the gear 83, and at the other end has an eccentric extension 153 journalled in the frame plate 21. Rigidly secured to the outer end of the shaft extension 153is an arm 154 by which the shaft may be turned manually to adjust the ln'esentation oflhe roller to the form.

Normally the arm 154 is locked in place by aset screw 155 the pointed inner end of which engages an opening as 161 Fig.

vided with an arcuate slot163 (Fig. 8);

through which extends a clamping screw 16-1 threaded into the frame plate 21. The

plate has also a shoulder adapted an i moved from the form rolls 81 and 82, they slots and may be lifted off.

to abut the overhangingtongne 157: of the arm By looseningthe set screw 164, the roll shaft, the arm 1541 and the clampingplate 160 may be turned. axially as a unit to shift the. form roll axis; When in the the shaft may be given a quarter turn to.

carry the roll away from the form. Such quarter turn brings the flange 157 of'the' arm into engagement. with another shoulder 167 (Fig. 8) on the keeper plate. The form roll may be locked in this position by turning the set screw 155 into a depression 162m thekeeper plate.

Asthe, eccentric adjustment above describedcauses the axis of the form roll to shift with reference to the axis of the driving gear, a suitable coupling is provided between. the, gear and roll. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4,]the gear is provided with. a pin 170 whichioccupies a. slot 171 in the end of a. roll, although if desired, a standard Oldham coupling may be provided between these parts... v It'will be noticed that the; inwardly projecting flange. 1'57 on the form roll? arm 1.54

has a downturned. lip 158 at its inner end. In the normal position of the parts as lllllSr trated, in Fig. 8, this lip lies behind the keeper plate-16.0,.and thus retainsthe shaft against longitudinal shifting. Similarly, when the shaft is swung, to the extreme idle position, this lip again. comesibehind the keeper plateback of. the opening 162 and retains the shaft. However, when it is desired to remove the shaft,.it is only necessary to loosen the set screwgl andturn the shaft so that the .lip 158 is opposite a recess 168 in the keeper plate, then the shaft is free to be drawn lengthwise outof the roller.

All of the composition rolls of the inking device are readily removed for purposes of cleaning and for storage. At this end the ductor roll is mounted in slots and may be lifted off as soon as the hooks 140 are swung backwardly. The transfer roll 50 andthe distributor roll 7 2 are likewise supported in The removal of the roll 72 frees the roll 61 so that it may be lifted off, and this frees the roll 71, leaving the roller free to be lifted from the machine. \Vhen the shafts are rewill be lifted out upwardly while when the shaft is removed'fromthe roll 80, it may be removed downwardly. a

To enable the removal of the transfer roller 70, I provide'large openings as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 4 around the shaft in the respective frame plates. The weight-of the roller is taken by the form roll 80. The box 100. prevents its lateral shifting' at that end and at the opposite end I provide a roller 180 journalled on the shank of a screw secured to the plate 21. If desired a similar roll may be employed mounted on the frame plate 21 and engaging the shaft, of the roller near the other end. After the form roll has been removed,

the box lOO'drops free ofthe arm- 107 and then the roller 70 may be shifted endwise until the roller shaft is entirely withdrawn from the opening in the plate 20, allowing that end to drop, when thewhole roller may be drawn out sufficient for the box to pass through the opening in the plate 21,

thus freeing the roller fromthe frame.

In my inking mechanism, I obtain at the start the desired amount-of ink on thefountain the transfer of the desired amount to the transfer roller 50 by varying the cam 130 and the positionof the roller 126, and I thus deliver to the composition roller 60just the proper amount-of ink required for the particular form. Now, practically half of this inkpasses from this transfer roll 60 to the distributor roll 70. and. thence to the form roll 80 which first engages the form, while various distributor rolls, the ink is applied:

tothe form verysmoothly. By properly adjusting the fountain roll, the ductor roll mechanism and each form roll with reference to the form by the various adjustments shown and described, I am enabled to obtain the accurateinking necessary for half tone work and for very fine impressions.

In order to enable the multigraph machine to be turned backward if desired without turning the fountain roll, I preferto drive such roll through a friction clutch. As shown particularly in Fig. 6 the gear tain roll by the adjusting screws 28. I ob- 94 is loose on the shaft 190 of the fountain,

roll but has a ratchet connection with a cup shaped collar 191 pinned to the shaft, the gear carrying a pawl 192 which is pressed into a notch in the flange of the collar by a spring 193. The pawl however, has a bevelled noseso that on backward turning,it

simply cams itself inwardlyout of'engagement witlrthe notch.

.The construction above described is illustarted in vertical section in Fig. 6. The various parts are similar to a corresponding clutch on the other end ofthe fountain roll shaft, shown more: fully in Fig. 10. This latter clutch is to enablea hand crank 200 to'turn the fountain roll in the feeding direction to workup the ink by hand. This crank has itsbub 201 loose onthe shaft 190. This hub carries the pawl 208 which is pressed by a spring 204 to give it a tendency to pass into a notch205 in the flange of a collar 206 pinned to vthe shaft. Thus the crank may drivelthe fountain roll whenever desired. On the .other hand, when the fountain roll is driven by the gear190,the collar flange ou ages the inclined back of the pawl and (M115 it inwardly to clear the notch, so that the collar and shaft-rotate independently of the, crank.

I claim:

. 1. The combination with a rotary printing drum, of several form rolls adapted to eoact therewith and. a corresponding number of distributor rolls coacting with said form rolls respectively, a fountain roll, mechanism for transferring ink therefrom jointlyto two of said distributor rolls," and means for transferringink from onset said distributoriolls to another of said distribtn tor rolls. i i

2. The combination of a rotary printing drum, at least three form rolls coacting therewitln a corresponding number of distributor rolls coacting with the form rolls, two transfer rolls, one engaging with the first and seconddistributor rolls, and the other with the second and third distributor rolls, and means for supplying ink to one of said transfer rolls.

3.. In an inking attachment, the combination of a roll on" a removable eccentric-ally mounted shaft, an arm for turning the shaft, an adjustable keeper platehaving a plurality of shoulders, and means on the arm adapted to coact with the different shoulders, and means for holding the roll in its bearings when the arm is in airactive position but allowing it to he removed when the arm is in' another position.

4. In an inkingiattachnient, the combination of aroll mounted on a removable shaft, said shaft being ecccntrieally mount ed, anarm on the shaft, a keeper carried by. the frame, .said armhavmga portion which normally overhangs the inner face of the keeper to retain thershaft in position,

plate and the keeper plate being recessed intermediately enabling the removal of the arm and shaft when they are in an intermediate position. i 6.4 The combination of a rotary i printing drum, means for inking thesame including a rotary fountain roll, a shaft for the fountain roll projecting in each direction, a gear loose on one end of said shaft, a member keyed to the shaft,a ratchet connection between said members, a crank loose on the other end of the'shaft, a member keyed to the shaft adjatent the crank, and ratchet connect-ion between the latter member and crank. y

7. In an inking attachmentfor a printin machine, the combination of a fountain roll? gearing for driving it comprising a gear on the fountain roll shaft, a cooperatingicnp onsaid shaft facing the gear and having a notch in its flange, anda pawl carried by the gear within thecup and spring presscd outwardly into cooperation with its flange and adapted to enterthe notch.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto ailix my signature. Y o

' LAIVRENCE H. MORSE. 

